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Belarus

According to recent statistical data in Belarus live 9.7 million inhabitants. Urban population accounts for 73% of the total population.

Passed in 1992 the Law on Privatization of Housing allowed the government to allocate housing stock to citizens. As of January 1, 2008 the privately owned housing stock reached 84.4%. As of January 1, 2008 the total housing stock of the country consists of 1,612,022 houses.

In spite of the high level of homeownership produced by mass public housing privatization (84.4 %) and the dominance of homeownership tenure in new housing construction, the housing finance structure in Belarus is still heavily oriented towards the public sector and the role of private investments and market-based housing finance remains a minor one. The systems of housing finance, housing construction, housing maintenance, modernization and management are dominated by state entities, i.e. by state-owned companies and banks.

The housing sector, including housing construction, maintenance, financing and infrastructure development, is covered by the State Housing Policy, by the National Housing Program, the Housing Code of Belarus and a number of other normative acts.

The Ministry of Architecture and Construction and the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services are the main ministries that are involved in the implementation of the housing policy, housing construction, operation and maintenance of housing stock. In addition, other national Ministries and State Committees are involved in this policy area, and the local government level is mainly providing input into municipal decision-making and implementation of local policies.